By Emeka Ezekwesili-Okodu

On Saturday, October 16, 2021, Brigadier General Shuaibu Ibrahim received the Public Service Award, alongside other Nigerians honored by The Daily Sun. This honor follows similar honors bestowed on the General by certain private and public institutions, for his exemplary and excellent service to Nigeria.

Brigadier General Shuaibu Ibrahim was appointed Director General of the National Youth Service Corps on May 10, 2019. Prior to his appointment, he had previously made a stint in the Corps Service, as military assistant to the Director General at the end of the years. 90, then as a spirited young officer.

Luckily, he was appointed head of the Corps, twenty years after his departure as Senior Assistant to the then Director General, now Major General Samson Dule (retired).

Frankly one would have thought that with time, and having progressed gradually and steadily in the Nigerian military – attaining the enviable rank of general, much of his vigor as MA to GM, as a young lieutenant and captain would have left him, apparently having seen it all.

Shuaibu Ibrahim, who is not only an officer and a gentleman; a shrewd administrator and an academic with no reputation – the associate professor of military history has proven the skeptics wrong, as he consistently remains consistent in his character attributes.

He wasted no time rolling out a five-point program, giving clear direction to his administration’s perspective in May 2019.

In unmistakable terms, he debunked the opulence and glamor associated with high office in Nigeria, making himself accessible and available, not only to NYSC staff members and the members of the body he loves and treats so much. as his biological children, but also for the media and other stakeholders as well. Interestingly, before the hat fell, he gave his phone number on request and personally took her calls.

He is a man that I have been following for two and a half decades and who has never ceased to amaze me by the amount of energy and passion he puts into the performance of his duties. He is proactive and proactive!

One of the critical issues he posed upon taking office was to give meaning to the NYSC mobilization process which, so far, has suffered so much assault from unscrupulous officers in some body production institutions, in particular those in the West African sub-region which fraudulently transmit names of unqualified persons. people for mobilization.

He called a meeting of the clerks of the institutions in Abuja with the aim of obtaining their support for the consolidation of the mobilization process. This singular stock paid great dividends. Some of the unscrupulous officers have been sanctioned, while some institutions have been shut down by their respective governments. The regime’s internal cleansing mechanism has also resulted in the dismissal of some wandering officers.

In addition to this, he introduced the selection of potential members of the internationally trained corps, especially those who have graduated from universities in the West African sub-region. Quoting the astute and pragmatic administrator, the outcome of the screening was “mind-boggling. Some of the so-called graduates sporting fake diploma certificates, with an upper second-class division, could not write their names correctly, let alone make the correct sentence during the screening exercise which was institutionalized.

The gentle-looking but unadorned general vowed never to mobilize unqualified people for service. Some of these fake and undeserved certificates were also imprisoned to deter others.

Ibrahim believes so much in establishing worthy partnerships with like-minded public and private institutions. In particular, the strong collaboration with the Nigeria Center for Disease Control has enabled the safe return of young soldiers to orientation camps, under the supervision of the NCDC.

He ensured that potential corps members, as well as serving corps members and staff, were vaccinated against COVID-19. Fortunately, data generated from COVID-19 testing in orientation camps is helping the NCDC track the rate of infection in the country.

Shuaibu Ibrahim who is an embodiment of humility, without any trace of air, is undoubtedly a great asset to the nation. He is a man who believes so much in harnessing the potential of young people for national development. He is detribalized, human and blind to religious persuasion.

Although a devout Muslim, he believes that true religion is the pursuit of people’s welfare and happiness; and always told people about the fleeting nature of human existence. He is always concerned with touching lives and leaving worthy legacies that posterity will remember him when he is with his creator. No wonder he continued to pay the tuition fees of some less privileged students, across tribe and religion.

Yes. He believes so much in using the potential of youth bodies for national development, as I said earlier. This belief prompted him to challenge the creative ingenuity of body members last year during the COVID-19 outbreak in Nigeria.

This challenge has given rise to many inventions by Corps members, ranging from body temperature readings to automated disinfection machines, liquid soap, water disinfectant, dispensers, and more. Members of the Corps were among the first group of Nigerians to produce liquid soap, disinfectant and face masks which were given to Nigerians free of charge.

He created the National NYSC Troupe, revitalized the NYSC Musical Band to showcase the musical skills of the members of the body. The first NYSC film, titled “A Call To Service,” starring body members and Nollywood stars such as Pete Edochie, awaits the premiere. The film introduced some budding talents to the vast opportunities of the Nollywood industry.

NYSC farms have been revived, including rice farms and poultry farms. The same goes for the NYSC water plant, bakery, and garment factories, all of which are operated by corps members and serve as their real training ground.

Indeed, I was amazed when the Director-General announced that the program, for the first time in history, was contributing to the national coffers from internally generated funds, a fact unprecedented in the annals of the program.

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Emeka Ezekwesili-Okodu is an Abuja-based public affairs analyst